69. Mr. Liddellasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the present insecure tenure under which many allotments are held is causing discontent among a large section of the community and that, unless some practical attempt is made to improve the position, interest in allotment cultivation will gradually die; and will he urge the Government to give the question of allotments a more prominent place in their schemes for social betterment and national defence?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonI am aware of complaints of lack of security by tenants of allotments on land which is rented for that purpose, more especially in areas that are in course of development. I am fully aware of the importance of this question but, as was explained in reply to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent (Mr. E. Smith) on 13th July last, the practical remedy for insecurity of tenure is the purchase of the land either by allotment associations or by local authorities. As regards the last part of the question, my hon. Friend may rest assured that the Government will bear in mind the question of allotments in considering schemes for social betterment and national defence.